A plan to move violent offenders into a Vermont work camp has won an OK from St. Johnsbury leaders.
Selectmen voted Monday to give tentative approval to the state Department of Corrections’ plan to boost the number of inmates at the Caledonia Community Work Camp from 100 to 112 and drop a ban on violent offenders serving there.
The Caledonian-Record says that in exchange, St. Johnsbury will get some free labor and a bigger payment-in-lieu-of-tax amount – $20,000 a year instead of $10,000 – from the state.
The state wants to move the inmates to avoid having to house them out of state, which is more expensive.
Some are concerned about the move. Mike Gonyaw, who lives near the camp, says the presence of violent offenders will hurt the neighborhood.